ED What Japan should learn

Nobel Peace Prize alerts the world to wartime sexual violence

This year's Nobel Peace Prize reminded the world anew of the seriousness of sexual violence against women in war. The prize was awarded to Congolese doctor Denis Mukwege and an Iraqi sex slave-turned-activist, Nadia Murad, for their fight against the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee's outstanding choice should serve as a precious occasion to alert the international community again to war crimes against women. We hope the award will help the world redouble its fight to end such war-related atrocities.

As the matter stands, a large number of women are still exposed to sexual violence as war and armed conflicts continue in many parts of our planet. It was only in 2008 when the United Nations defined wartime sexual violence as a crime against humanity.

Needless to say, humanity should make concerted efforts to eliminate wartime sexual violence. It is also urgent to punish the perpetrators and call to account those involved in war crimes.

The Nobel Peace Prize carries significance, especially for Korea because tens of thousands of young Korean women were forced into being sex slaves for Japanese troops before and during World War II. Many people, including Asians who had suffered from the Japanese war crimes, may wonder if Japan is doing any soul searching upon hearing the announcement of the two prize winners.

Tokyo has insisted that it has already apologized to sex slavery victims on several occasions, including one by a prime minister. Yet many nations still doubt if Japan has made any sincere, formal apology by the government. Actually Japan has done little to shed light on the true picture of sex slavery committed by its military as well as to make reparations for the heinous crime.

We urge Japan, which had institutionalized sexual violence against women during WWII, to truly atone for its past atrocities, and join the international effort to eradicate such crimes.

Korean society also needs to double its effort against never-ending violence and discrimination against women amid the spreading #MeToo movement. Respecting women and caring for the socially vulnerable are essential to advocating universal values such as human rights and gender equality.